[RagingKileak]

Hello all,

Only some of you know, but I've had a lot of major changes going on lately and although it is and remains tough on occasions, I feel I am coming out of the other side much happier.

At a 'strategic' level, happiness is something which affects everything else in life, but on a smaller scale, I've found myself happier on a few isolated occasions because of something I have done or achieved and I thought it would be nice, due to what's been happening here for people to share some little things that make them happy!

The first thing for me is that I've finally finished the interior of my house after 2-3 years of builders going bankrupt on me or doing a shit job and fucking me over. I got a mates stepdad in and he spent 5 weeks finishing things off for about £5000 in total and it has made such a difference.

Beforehand I used to come home and not feel proud of certain rooms or parts of the house because I could see badly joined skirting board or blatantly bad or missing workmanship. My vision for the house was to have 2 spare bedrooms that felt like 4* hotel rooms - with their own ensuite and lush furnishings. For the past 2 years they have been more or less ok, but neither had showers fitted in the show cubicle because builder no1 had fucked off without buying proper fittings and builder no2 couldn't find the right ones. My mates stepdad gave me a number to ring in London and a part number - £175 quid later and the 2 sets of correct fascias and taps arrived so the bathrooms are now finished.

I now feel 10x better as soon as I walk in the door.

Second thing for me is music. I love music but for various reasons I have not really spent as much time fulfilling that love over the past 10 years, except in the car. I'm not placing blame on anyone but me for that, it's just something that 'is' and needed to be fixed.

So, I recently needed to replace my Onkyo 606 AV Receiver and I chose to spend a little more on an upgraded 609 model, which was later very favourably reviewed by What Hi Fi etc. One key reason for spending more on it was because it is able to connect to the Internet to receive Internet Radio stations.

That's awesome news to me to begin with, but I've also been considering moving to a Free Lossless Audio Codec (FLAC) audio environment in the future, which I didn't think the Onkyo could accomodate. Anyway, not only can it understand FLAC format files and play them back, but I was also able to pickup a Buffalo Linkstation 1TB NAS for only £50 that provides a DLNA Certified Music Server and allows me to share my music with the Onkyo whilst the NAS is switched on.

Basically, I am now sat writing this before I start work listening to my tunes in 24 bit 96khz audio (better than a CD by about 40% if your interested in robotic figures) purely by a chance series of purchases that worked out in my favour for once.

It's amazing what a difference to productivity music and in turn, happiness makes. It's also sunny this morning and last nights Golf mission to Hemel worked out rather well, so what's to complain about?

People might say I've jinxed myself now and Jen and I have been saying that things are going too well and we should expect impending doom - but fuck that. That's no way to live your life is it?

So come on (if anyone is feeling 'gay' enough) what are your little achievements and ideas for increasing your lot?

Regards
Matt

[MEGA]

Avoiding the discussion on your claims about the FLAC file quality (My question being: Where has the source file came from? The label directly? If not no doubt it was ripped from a CD in which case all your doing is upscaling it so the quality won't be improved. The file might be a bigger size but those extra bits won't do any good if their just averages of a lower sampling rate. Some FLAC media is legitimately encoded from the masters: But most isn't. ) It sounds like you've had some positive news and good goings on recently so well done mate and long may it continue..

[RCUK]

Went to maccy d the other day ... ordered 9 nuggets and they gave me 10.

Swear the 10th one tasted extra brilliant!

(BTW re nuggets.... 6 are £2.49, and 9 are £2.79.... very very odd pricing.)

[RagingKileak]

Lets not get into it and go OT on another thread Dave lol!!! However, to put your mind at rest I only have 13 FLAC 'albums' and they all came from Vinyl or Music DVD at the moment. I'm not sure on the compression quality with SA-CD's but I don't own any, so it's a moot point anyway.

The NAS ALSO has 200+ MP3 albums, but as the FLAC section is 'new' and 'there for a reason' it is being kept distinctly seperate and all music is being 'vetted' or ripped by me when it goes in there to make sure it stays clean.

Regards
Matt

[mowflow]

Today is Friday. That makes me happy.

[RagingKileak]

Originally Posted by mowflow

Today is Friday. That makes me happy.

Likewise - plus tomorrow I am off out for all you can eat meat!! Woooot!

Matt

[rich1068]

These two brighten up my day considerably





They also make me grind my teeth and look forward another 15 years when I might get a lie in.

[Boyd1963]

My crazy eldest daughter getting into the university of her choice cheered me up yesterday. I really didn't think that she would do it as she is a complete party animal. (Currently on tour with a rock band!!!!!!)

[E902717]

I have my first baby 4 weeks ago and she has made me the happiest man alive, wife and families are great work is brilliant and i've got very exciting things going on (at work) oh and its FRIDAY!!!

Also I'm picking my new motor up later

I love you Matt

[rogerxp]

I love PeterG





















Matty, I've got some SACD's if you'd like to borrow them mate, could post them over (or meet up which we're trying to do anyway ).

[MEGA]

Originally Posted by rogerxp

I love PeterG





















Matty, I've got some SACD's if you'd like to borrow them mate, could post them over (or meet up which we're trying to do anyway ).

When are you bloomin' well posting up some pictures of WHY you love him mate?

[rogerxp]

Originally Posted by MEGA

When are you bloomin' well posting up some pictures of WHY you love him mate?

Hey, I'm not like Will, if that's what you're implying .

[RagingKileak]

Originally Posted by E902717

I love you Matt

Thanks mate.

Rog, thanks for the offer, may well hope to take you up on it sometime!

Regards
Matt

[rogerxp]

...no worries, just don't take the piss out of my musical tastes . I actually bought a few to show off my system as opposed to being guided by my usual musical tastes so quite an odd mix (I only bought 4 or 5) but never use them.

[Team Green2]

Im happy its friday and im of to silverstone tomorro for the Renault Race Series met Nigel Mansel there 2 years ago hope he's there again.

[RCUK]

Off to In The Night Garden Live tomoro with our little man .... the look on his face when he sees Makka Pakka will make me pretty damned happy.

Just told him he has a surprise tomoro - but not what it is.

[rich1068]

^^ Excellent stuff!

[MEGA]

Originally Posted by RCUK

Off to In The Night Garden Live tomoro with our little man .... the look on his face when he sees Makka Pakka will make me pretty damned happy.

Just told him he has a surprise tomoro - but not what it is.

I jhust googled that. It looks like something from Will's jpeg collection. Freaky.

[JLR1969]

If you spend your time looking for reasons to be miserable you will be. If something is not right fix it, if it cant be fixed accept it and make the best of it.

If I wake up in the moring and I am healthy, have a warm home with food in the cupboards and cash in the bank then all is well in my world.

I dont regret the past as their is no point, I plan for the future and enjoy today.

I am miserable and grumpy whenever the Mrs tells me I am.

[E902717]

Originally Posted by MEGA

Will's jpeg collection

That is something I hope I never have to see.

[rogerxp]

Originally Posted by RCUK

Off to In The Night Garden Live tomoro with our little man .... the look on his face when he sees Makka Pakka will make me pretty damned happy.

Just told him he has a surprise tomoro - but not what it is.

Oh, you've just reminded me, I'm taking my Daughter to see The Mr Men Show at Buxton Opera House on Sunday, just hope she pays more attention than what she did at The Tweenies .

[RagingKileak]

You guys are really making me NOT want kids lol!!

Regards
Matt